Weddingbee boards

Hi All,

I'm looking for advice from anyone that has used (or planning on using) the Winter Park Farmers Market for their wedding. I am hoping to do both the ceremony and reception there. We can not have the ceremony on the patio, since we have too many people.

I was thinking of having the ceremony inside, then move everyone onto the patio for the cocktail hour. During the cocktail hour, have the inside room set up for the reception. I'm concerened about the room being flipped from the ceremony set up to the reception set up in about an hour. Do you think this is do-able?

Thanks!!

@miss.serendipity:

Hi! Oh, I can help!! I am getting married at the WPFM on May 13, 2011 and will be having both the ceremony and reception inside! Here is our timeline:

Ceremony start at 7pm
Ceremony over at 7:30
All guests move outside onto patio for cocktail hour/light snacks

I am going to give certain responsibilities to our bridal party, family and friends for the flip. For example, our groomsmen and manly family members will drag the tables out and quickly set them up. My bridesmaids will throw the linens on the table. Other family will put pre-arranged centerpieces and candles on the table. We are doing a buffet, so we are not having placesettings on the table. We will have all other decorations (cake table, guestbook, pictures, etc) set up prior to the ceremony. With help, the flip can definitely happen!!

The guests will be welcomed back in at 8:00 (our goal but we're flexible if the flip takes a little longer).
Bride and groom enter around 8:15!

Just be aware, the WPFM people don't promote having the ceremony inside. When I mentioned the idea, the lady had to ask her boss about it. But they said it's fine and they are going to set up the chairs for the ceremony for us. There should be a WPFM worker present during the event but they are not responsible for helping you flip.

Let me know if you have any other questions!! When is your wedding date? <3

@miss.serendipity: Also, one of my friends from high school had her ceremony and reception inside last May and it worked out great! She used Arthur's catering and she said that they helped a lot during the flip.

@MichStoker: Thanks for the info! Sounds like it would be do-able.We ended up booking a ceremony site about 3 miles from the WPFM. I wanted to be done with the ceremony in time to take pictures in the park, the railroad tracks/train/ Park Ave- while it was still daylight. And with not being able to get in there until 4pm- it was cutting it close. My wedding is Feb 25, 2012 (just mailed in the contract today!!)

How many people are you going to have?  And how are you arranging your tables?I've tried to map out a seating chart and it looks like 130 people with a dance floor may be kind of tight. Actually we are trying to cut our guest list down to 130!!

Thanks again!!

Hey! I am a photographer and I shot an awesome wedding there last summer. The venue was amazing, except for 2 things:

1) limited time for set up. Most of the wedding party was there only a few hours before the wedding setting up. It was on a Saturday, so they had to wait for the market to pack up before they could get to the venue.

2) During the middle of the ceremony (on the patio) a big CSX train went by and took about 5 minutes to go away. The officiant continued anyway, so everyone kinda missed most of the ceremony. It was funny, and the bride had a great sense of humor so it was fine. However with the train tracks right there it is something to consider. Yes, they make for awesome photos, but the train disrupted the activities twice (an amtrak came through during cocktail hour)

I think the bride was very happy with it. It suited her and the style of the wedding very well. These are just things coming from a vendor :)

I got married a year ago and had my reception at the Windermere town hall and LOVED IT! It's not that popular, but it is so pretty and affordable.

@lauren.hancock1: Thanks for the info!

@miss.serendipity: We are going to have around 130 poeple. It will probably be tight, but it will be doable. We are still working on the table arrangement. :) Congrats on booking your venue and picking a date!!

@MichStoker:Thanks. Let me know what your table arrangments are. Where is the DJ going? I think we may use the 8ft banquet tables. How big of a dance floor are you going to have?

@miss.serendipity: We aren't going to have an actual dance floor, just some space right in the middle. The DJ is going to be in the middle of the brick wall (across from the black/white doors).

@MichStoker:  How did the wedding turn out? Did it feel crowded with 130 people there? I am getting a little nervous about having enough space. Hope everything went well!

It was great!! We had about 120 for the ceremony and then some people (older) left after the ceremony so we only had about 110 for the reception and it was NOT crowded at all!! We had plenty of room. You'll be fine :) Good luck!